The square is built on the former Domitian's stadium, hence the long, oval shape of the square. The main attraction of the Piazza Navona is the three fountains. The central and largest fountain is the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of the Four Rivers), which was constructed between 1647 and 1651 on request of the Pope Innocent X. The fountain features four figures, each representing a river from a different continent - the Nile, Ganges, Danube and Rio della Plata. The statues are at the base of a rock supporting an obelisk, originally located at the Massenzio Circus.

The two other fountains on the piazza are the Fontana di Nettuno (Neptune Fountain) at the northern end and the Fontana del Moro (Moor Fountain) at the southern end.